


The Man Who Can Change Arthur's Destiny

by Remianly



Series: The Man Who Can Change Their Destiny [1]
Category: Merlin (TV), Merlin/Arthur - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arthur Finds Out About Merlin’s Magic (Merlin), Canon Era, Friendship/Love, Happy Ending, Implied Slash, M/M, No Sex, No Smut, Original Character(s), POV Arthur, Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 04:12:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14992499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Remianly/pseuds/Remianly
Summary: "You must be careful, Merlin. That man has the powers to change your destiny."Or something like that, Merlin remembered Kilgharrah saying. It was hard to recall when Merlin was standing in front of the man himself."Do you want to come with me?" the man asked.Merlin couldn't remember what it was that he needed to stay for, so he thinks he nodded.





	The Man Who Can Change Arthur's Destiny

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy!  
> Greatest thanks to TheUnknownMadlady

Arthur flung a cup at the door, then he huffed frustratedly and fell back into bed agitated..

_ Fine! If that idiot won't show up at all today, I'll just laze around in bed  _ all  _ day.  _ Merlin was late once again that morning by TWO HOURS, and Arthur was hungry without breakfast.

Arthur had the vague impression in the very back of his subconscious that perhaps he was being a bit overly dramatic and sulking childishly. After Merlin came by last night, weirdly sincere all of the sudden, asking deep questions about Arthur's future and their relationship and  _ feelings _ of all things, Arthur had an irritating unsettling feeling that something was wrong. 

He tried to remember anything that could have caused it. Nothing could come up aside from Arthur hurling a pair of worn boots at Merlin's head, hitting harder than he intended. When he missed the chance to say a quick sorry, it never came back up. 

In his defense, if Merlin was getting deep and emotional because of that, Arthur would really have to ask Gaius to check if Merlin was actually a real girl again... But maybe it  _ had _ been a bit hurtful. 

He began tossing and turning in his bed. He was the Crown Prince of Camelot! He does  _ not _ apologize to incompetent menservants. Which is what he kept telling himself, but there was this blade-like feeling shoving into his guts and twisting his insides every time Merlin's hurt face pops up. He realized, after rolling around in bed for another few minutes, that it was guilt.

So he sat up and began banging his head against the bedpost.

Princes.  _ Bang _ . Do.  _ Bang _ . Not.  _ Bang _ . Feel.  _ Bang _ . Guilty.  _ Bang _ . For.  _ Bang _ . Disrespecting.  _ Bang _ . Their.  _ Bang _ . Menservants.  _ Thud _ .

_ Arthur _ ...

He nearly fell off his bed. Who the heck was that? If anybody saw him rolling around in his bed all morning like a five year old when he should've been training the knights ~~but was too busy sulking because his Merlin didn't come with breakfast this morning or come at all for that matter which was completely unprofessional and he really should fire him but he doesn't know why he hasn't yet~~ then he would have to execute them on the spot. Especially if they saw him banging his head against his bedpost like a crazed man ~~because he feels guilty for hurting his Merlin and now he was alone and sad.~~

_ Arthur _ ...

The prince darted for his sword hanging beside his bed and unsheathed it. In his fighting stance in the span of a second Arthur glanced around his chambers. "Who's there?!" he demanded. 

_ Down, Arthur... Come down _ .

And really, if Uther taught him anything, it was 'Don't investigate strange and suspicious things in your undergarments' when Arthur was 9 and was running around the castle without trousers to chase after a "sorcerer". So he slipped into something suitable for castle-running and began going down. Cuz why not? If Merlin wanted Arthur later after making him wait  _ all _ morning  _ not _ out of guilt, then he would have to find Arthur. Definitely  _ not _ the other way around.

_ Arthur... _

The voice lead him down to the dept of the castle that Arthur hadn't bothered exploring as a child. All the corridors and stairways were the same: boring.

He took a burning torch off it's place on the wall and descended down a stairway. "Who are you?!" He was only met with an echo after his demand.

_ Come down... _

Arthur was definitely not scared. He was, however, regretting not bringing one or two soldiers with him. At least now, he wouldn’t have to explain the strange voice in his head, telling him to go somewhere. And he didn't want to make a big deal of it; he had a feeling that this voice meant no harm.

When Arthur stepped into a clearing at the end of the staircase, he was in a large cave. There was a gust of moist earthy air just as he saw a chain dangle from above down. Attached was a fully grown  _ dragon _ who perched on a large rock in the center. Arthur instinctively dropped the torch and unsheathed his sword. 

"At ease, young prince. You know I bring no harm."

So Arthur lowered his sword slightly. "Who are you?"

"I am what you see."

"I see that you are a dragon, I asked not what you are, but who." 

That made the dragon laugh. "Oh you are certainly his other half," he said chuckling, completely ignoring Arthur's question.

Arthur raised his sword and pointed it at the beast. "Be clear, you overgrown reptile!" Arthur tried his best to sound intimidating in front of the massive dragon.

He stopped laughing. "My apologies, young prince." The amusement lingering in his eyes failed at making him sound sincere.

Arthur slid his sword back in its place. "What have you called me down here for?" he asked, eyes never leaving the beast.

"I have called you down here for fear of your destiny."

"Which is?"

"You are destined to unite the land of Albion, as you are the Once and Future King," he said simply.

Arthur bent down to pick up the torch he dropped, desperately resisting the urge to ask why there was a full grown dragon under the castle and how it was even possible to have a cave this large and not have the castle collapse on it. "Go on."

"To do this, you need Merlin." Arthur raised his eyebrows in disbelief. The first part, he could believe, that second bit, however was pushing. "Without him, you will fail, and Albion will never be."

"Are you sure we're thinking of the same Merlin? Because this one's mentally afflicted and just about the worst servant in the history of the world."

But the dragon only looked amused. "He will guide and protect you as it is his destiny to."

Arthur thought carefully about this and decided to just play along. "Alright, what then?"

"You are in danger of losing him." Arthur frowned. If this was about the pair of boots from yesterday, then perhaps he should switch out partners to share the destiny with. "A man has come to Camelot bearing no ill intentions."

"What's he got to do with my  _ girly _ manservant?" Arthur asked, crossing his arms while keeping the torch at a safe distance.

"Everything, young prince. He has the power to change your destinies. It is your destiny which brings you together but your decisions which tear you apart."

Arthur frowned. He didn't like how this dragon was talking. Merlin wasn't with him because of a destiny, right? "Does Merlin know about this destiny thing?"

"Indeed, I have warned him but it seems this man is more troublesome than I expected as he did not heed my warning."

That Merlin associated with dragons at all was a topic they would have to discuss very thoroughly for another day. "So? What am I to do about it? It's his decision to leave me. I'll just find a replacement or something," Arthur said, voice uncontrollably bitter. Which was absurd, because Merlin's only meant to be a servant! Meant to be. 

"You do not truly mean that," the dragon chuckled. "Not everything can be replaced. You must go after him and take him back at your side."

"I said it's  _ his _ decision to leave. If he hates me or this stupid destiny, then he's free to pack up a go!" Arthur snapped.

"A half cannot truly hate what makes it whole. I have warned you what you need to be warned. It's your decision to heed my warnings." As the dragon dramatically flew away, he finished with, "You are but one side of the coin. Merlin is the other. Do not lose him..."

Arthur tried calling out to the dragon a few more times before sighing and making his way back up to his room. What did he mean by coins and destiny? Arthur hadn't been this confused since the time Merlin was appointed as his manservant.

As he walked back to his rooms, a thought struck him. If Merlin knew about this destiny, does that mean that everything that's happened so far was just all a part of it? The thought made Arthur swing his chamber doors open, making them collide with the wall behind it. The chambermaid in his room jumped at the sound. 

"Your highness! I've brought your lunch." She bowed two times more than necessary. It was nice having a servant who actually addressed him properly, was on time, and bowed. It should be nice, but he doesn't feel it. 

Instead he frowns. "Where's Merlin?"

The maid had a glint of panic in her eyes. Probably thinking something like 'Oh no! I made the prince frown!' "He resigned from his position earlier this morning. I thought you ordered it, sire," she said in one stuttering breath.

His heart dropped before he allowed it. Of course Merlin would leave the moment he was given the chance. Why would he want to stick around? It's not like they were actually  _ friends _ . It's always been about destiny; Arthur shouldn't read so much into it. He dismissed the maid and paced through his room before settling against the window. 

He watched as his people went by their lives and thought of Albion. It would be nice if they could stand side by side to witness it. And as if on cue, Arthur caught sight of Merlin's raven colored hair. Arthur's stomach did a very unpleasant back flip. He watched as his no-longer-manservant walked through town, probably for the last time with a large bag packed, probably with all his things. Walking side by side with a man who was not Arthur.

Not even a word of goodbye. Before Arthur knew what he was doing, he was running to Merlin. Even he didn't understand what was going through his head. 

Even if Merlin only cares about their destiny, even if everything that's happened so far was a part of this destiny, even if Merlin was the most incompetent servant Arthur has ever had the misfortune of knowing, Arthur couldn't bare to see Merlin disappear without a trace or a word of goodbye.

When Arthur finally caught sight of them, Merlin stopped suddenly at the gate, with a confused expression.

"...sorry, I think I'm forgetting something..." Arthur heard him say. Arthur felt his heart racing even faster if that was possible. Merlin remembered him! Surely that had to mean something? If this man could change their destiny, then anything happening now had nothing to do with that. Everything they do now is their own choice.

"MERLIN!!!" Arthur hollered from across the square, startling a lot of people to look.  _ Stare all you want _ , Arthur thought.

When Merlin turned to see Arthur, all the confusion that clouded his face cleared, and recognition lit. "That's what it was!" Merlin grinned wide. Arthur's heart leaped with joy and relief. He reached them when Merlin turned around to address the man. "I'm sorry, I think I'll pass on your offer. I've got something I still have to do here," he said and took a step back.

Arthur's heart dropped at that.  _ 'Something I still have to do here.' _ It was still  _ destiny _ . In the end, they still couldn’t escape it.

The man just smiled an understanding smile. "Are you bound to a greater destiny?" Arthur was beginning to hate the word.

Before Merlin could say anything, Arthur reached out and pulled Merlin into a protective embrace. "You heard his answer. Leave," he growled, with a glare.

But the man just kept smiling, and it was beginning to get creepy. "Do you still want to take this path with him?" Arthur realized the man was talking to him now. Of course Arthur would say y- "Once you've found out that he has magic? That he's been lying to you since day one?" 

Suddenly, it was like the world stopped and the only thing Arthur could hear was his heart beat mixed with Merlin's pressed against his chest. He dropped his gaze from the man to Merlin and saw a pale, frightened, shaking traitor. It was like someone just knocked the air out of his lungs. It didn't make any sense, but suddenly everything made sense. Everything. Arthur's time with Merlin replayed in his head like his life flashing before his eyes - an occurrence that only happened when everything was ending.

Arthur was so frozen from shock, he didn't notice the world moving again when the man yanked Merlin from Arthur's arms.

"It's your choice to never have to see this traitor's face again. I can change it all for you." The man's words dripping like honey, and Arthur almost agreed. Almost forgot what he came out here for. But the idea of never seeing Merlin's face again didn't sit right with Arthur, no matter what he'd done. So Arthur yanked at Merlin's wrist back.

"Get your hands  _ off _ of him" Arthur hissed. "He's  _ mine _ . With or without  _ destiny _ ." Arthur spat the last word out with hatred that seemed to run 10 years deep,

And he pulled Merlin into his arms again, never letting go.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I still don't have a beta reader so if anyone's interested...  
> Also I'd like to know what you thought! Leave a comment/Kudos!  
> The second part of the series is Merlin's POV.


End file.
